Miraculous: Tales of Mr Bug and Lady Noire
by MaylynBirch12
Summary: What if Adrien had the Ladybug miraculous and Marinette had the black cat? And what if Marinette was a famous model and Adrien was the son of a baker? A series of AU oneshots.
1. Origins

_**Hey friends! I'm back!**_

_**I intend for these to be a series of AU oneshots that may or may not follow the plot of the series. We'll see, but there is no overarching plot here. I'm working on another Ladybug fanfic with a very intricate plot, but it's a process and probably still won't be out until I get to the meat of it...anyway! You'll see!**_

_**Keep in mind that although a lot of things in this world are canon, I reserve the right to mess a bit with characters and events. It **_**is **_**an alternate universe. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own MLB.**_

* * *

Adrien burst out the front door. "Bye, Mom!" He yelled, shoving his arms through the straps of his backpack before racing down the stairs.

"Adrien! Don't forget these!" His mother called, stepping out the front door and holding out a large box of macarons.

"Oh!" Adrien screeched to a stop and clambered back up the stairs. "Thank you!"

"Be careful, dear! You need to get to school intact!" His mother ruffled his hair

"Hey, I'm not that clumsy!" Adrien protested, rolling his eyes. He took the macarons from his mother and tucked them safely under one arm.

His mom chuckled and kissed his cheek gently. "Sure, hon. Have a good first day!"

"I will, mom!" Adrien flashed her a grin and ran back down the stairs. His mom was right, he realized. He did seem to have a knack for trouble. He cast back on previous first days of school and fervently wished things would be different this year. Maybe Claude wouldn't be in his class this year?

Adrien reached the crosswalk between the school building and his home and gazed across the street at the school, not sure if he was excited or nervous for the first day back. As he started across, an older gentleman crossing the street opposite caught his eye. The gentleman winced with every step, his cane clunking gloomily on the pavement. Adrien glanced at the light and realized with a start that the older man wouldn't make it across the street in time.

"Oh! Sir!" He called hastily, running across the street and reaching the old man. He grabbed the man's cane and gripped his shoulder, hurrying him across the street before traffic resumed. Unfortunately, while Adrien's attention was distracted, he tripped over the curb and spilled out the box of macarons. Adrien's heart sank as he watched the other pedestrians stomp over the pistachio macarons on the sidewalk.

"Thank you, young man!" The older gentleman said kindly, leaning on his cane and rubbing his back. He frowned as he stared at the crushed macarons. "Oh dear. What a disaster."

"Don't worry," Adrien smiled kindly. "I'm no stranger to disasters. Besides, there are still a few left!" Adrien grabbed the mostly-empty box of cookies and held one out to the old man as he sprang to his feet.

The school bell rang, and Adrien jumped.

"Oh! I'm late!" He snapped the box closed and ran the last few feet to school. "Have a nice day, sir!"

* * *

Marinette was panting as she bolted up the steps to the school.

"Marinette, please reconsider! You know what your mother wants!" Nathalie cried, hopping out of the car.

"But this is what I wanna do!" Marinette argued, gesturing up at the school. She hefted her bag up onto her shoulder and turned back to the building, but she heard a small moan and paused. An old man lay collapsed on the sidewalk, and Marinette watched as he reached for an old wooden cane only to pull away in pain. Without thinking, Marinette raced over to him and wrapped her fingers around the cane. She smiled brightly and held the cane out to the old man, then carefully helped him regain his footing.

"Thank you, miss," the old man said gratefully. Marinette nodded once, then turned back to the school. Nathalie and Marinette's bodyguard had moved further up the stairs and were blocking Marinette's path inside.

Marinette's heart sank and she hung her head as she walked back over to her mother's assistant.

"I just want to go to school like everybody else," Marinette sighed. "What's so wrong with that? Please don't tell my mother about all of this."

* * *

Adrien clutched his backpack as he left the school that day. He fingered the silver ring on his right hand and cast his mind back on the events of the day. Who would've thought that I'd be a superhero? He thought to himself in amazement. A million faces flashed through his memory-Lady Noire, Stoneheart, Claude...and that new girl Marinette. His expression darkened. Marinette. Adrien didn't trust her after what happened with that gum. And Claude.

He reached the steps that led outside and realized that it had begun to rain. He held out his hand and felt the drops. He pursed his lips and slid his backpack off his shoulder in discouragement.

"Hey!" A cheery voice said, and Adrien turned in shock. It was Marinette, the girl he had just been thinking about. She gripped an umbrella in one hand and held the other hand up in greeting. Adrien's eyes narrowed and he deliberately turned away.

Marinette paused, her hand dropping. She looked away sadly and popped open her umbrella.

"Listen, I-I wanted you to know that I was only trying to take the chewing gum off your seat. I promise." Marinette looked back at Adrien over one shoulder, her blue eyes big and innocent. Her dark hair fell in front of her face and she pushed it away in annoyance. Adrien's heart fluttered as he watched her, frozen.

"I've never been to school before," Marinette admitted, breaking eye contact and gazing out into the rain. "I-I've never really had friends." She looked back at Adrien and smiled wryly. "It's all sort of...new to me." She met Adrien's gaze and swung around, holding out her umbrella to the boy next to her.

Wait, is she offering me...her umbrella? Adrien asked himself, confused. He stared in bewilderment at the sleek black umbrella before gazing up at Marinette. She smiled gently at him, her blue eyes crinkling. Her blue-black hair framed her face softly and it seemed to shine in the rain. Adrien was caught in her gaze, getting lost in her blue eyes. A clap of thunder disturbed his thoughts, and he realized she had taken a step closer to him, still wordlessly holding out the umbrella. Adrien swallowed and reached his hand up, only hesitating for a moment before taking the umbrella from Marinette. Their hands touched briefly, and Adrien felt a thrill of excitement as the physical contact. As soon as he held it above his head, he felt a click beneath his fingers, and his vision went dark as the umbrella closed on his head.

Marinette gasped once, then burst out into light peals of laughter. Adrien's face turned bright red and he struggled to lift the umbrella from off his face. He peeled it off as Marinette's giggles subsided, and he chuckled briefly as he saw her delight.

Marinette took a deep breath brushed her hair out of her eyes once again. "See you tomorrow!"

Adrien stared after Marinette as she walked down the stairs toward her silver car, trying to quell the thumping in his chest. He felt his bag slip from his fingers and he straightened.

"Uh huh! See you...to-tomorrow..." He shook his head, trying to clear his head. "Whoa, why am I stuttering?"

Tikki zipped out of his pocket. "Hey, I think I might have an idea!"

Adrien held her gaze for a moment before his cheeks flushed and he rubbed the back of his head nervously. Tikki giggled and perched herself on his shoulder, leaning up into his cheek. He cracked a smile.

* * *

Marinette's heart was lighter as she left Adrien standing at the top of the stairs. She glanced down as Plagg pushed his way out of her purse.

"Well well, first day of school and we already have two lovebirds!" He crowed, winking up at his master.

Marinette giggled. "Plagg, he's just a friend!" Her eyes widened. "A friend!" Her stomach leapt at the thought, and she clutched at her chest in excitement. "I made a friend, Plagg!"

* * *

_**Hope you enjoy it so far! Sorry it's kind of rough around the edges. Please leave a review if you want to see anything with Mister Bug/Lady Noire, I'm open to suggestions and polite feedback! **_

_**I don't really have a schedule for updating, but stay tuned. I'm kinda busy, so it won't be regular...but I will write on it, I promise!**_

_**~Maylyn**_


	2. Sir Wifi--Part I

"I'm telling you," Nino exclaimed to Adrien, waving a photo of Paris's superheroes in his friend's face. "I'm going to figure out who they are!"

Adrien chuckled nervously and moved the photo aside. "Nino, don't you think their identities are supposed to be a secret for a reason?"

Nino snorted. "Dude, imagine all the fun we'd have together! They must be the coolest people under the mask!"

"And then you'd publish it on your YouTube channel, right?" Adrien shook his head, laughing.

"Of course I wouldn't!" Nino scoffed, slipping the picture into his pocket. "They could trust me! I could, like, help them and stuff. It'd be sick!"

"But then Hawkmoth could target you," Adrien pointed out. "And your friends."

"Mr. Bug and Lady Noire can handle him," Nino said proudly. "They'll protect me."

"Nino, I don't think it works..." Adrien trailed off as his nose caught a familiar scent. Marinette Cheng walked past them, frowning as she stared at her phone. "...like that..." Adrien finished breathlessly, his heart pounding in his chest. Nino smirked and slung an arm around Adrien's shoulders.

"Are you going to talk to her, dude?" Nino asked quietly.

"About what?" Adrien replied distractedly. He watched as Marinette smiled softly and slipped her phone back into her pocket as her friend Alya drew closer. His heart fluttered as her heard her tinkling laugh from across the school courtyard.

"Marinette." Nino grinned. "You've been staring at her the moment she walked in."

"Mm." Adrien fingered his ring, still gazing into Marinette's face.

"Dude! Adrien!" Nino clapped his hand on Adrien's back, shoving him forward. "Just go already!"

Adrien yelped as Nino pushed him forward toward Alya and Marinette. He tripped over his own feet and stumbled right into Marinette.

"Oh goodness!" Marinette caught him by the shoulders and smiled brightly at him. "You okay there?"

Adrien gaped down at his crush, words failing him. "I...uh..."

"Cat got your tongue?" Alya teased, sidling up next to Marinette and winking slyly.

Adrien snapped out of his daze and took a step back. "Sorry, Marinette! I just littled a trip. I-I mean...I tripped a little." His face flushed and he tried for a dazzling smile but knew it was weak.

"No worries! I'm glad you're okay." Her face brightened, and Adrien wondered dreamily how her smile could be even prettier.

Adrien nodded, not trusting himself to speak again as he took a step back. Marinette looked up at him hesitantly, waiting for him to say something else.

Adrien opened his mouth, but the school bell rang, indicating the beginning of class, and he felt a surge of relief.

"Oh, there's the bell! S-see you girls in class!" Adrien waved nervously and surged forward, his cheeks still bright red.

"See you!" Marinette called after him, but Adrien didn't look back.

"Nice!" Nino held his hand out for a high-five. Adrien obliged, slapping his hand half-heartedly. "You got a full two sentences out!"

Adrien sighed bitterly as he pushed open the door to their class. "I'm never going to be able to talk to her, Nino! Every time I see her, I just...freeze. She looks at me with those big blue eyes and I lose it all." He glanced out, seeing the sunshine filter through the windows with a pang of longing. He blinked as he saw an inky purple butterfly flutter past the building.

"Uh, I-I have to go to the bathroom," Adrien stammered, backing out of the door. "Tell Ms. Bustier I'm here, okay?"

"Adrien, you'll be fine. Don't sweat it!" Nino called, but Adrien had already ran back down the stairs.

"Come on, Tikki!" Adrien hissed as he slipped into an empty classroom. "Spots on!"

* * *

Nino frowned as he looked at the empty seat next to him. "Dude, where did you go?" He muttered.

"Is Adrien still in the bathroom, Nino?" Ms. Bustier asked, her eyebrows knit in concern.

"I-I don't know." Nino shrugged. Ms. Bustier pursed her lips, but proceeded to pass out the homework as the bell rang. "See to it that Adrien receives his homework."

"Sure thing." Nino grabbed an extra sheet of paper and left the classroom. He slid his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed his best friend's number.

"Hey, it's Adrien! Sorry I missed your call! You know what to do after the..." The voicemail beeped and Nino rolled his eyes.

"Dude, it's me. I've got your homework. Call me back..." Nino trailed off as he entered the locker room. He saw Claude glance around furtively before pulling open his locker. Nino gasped as he saw a small red and black yo-yo in Claude's hand.

"Mr. Bug?" Nino whispered, clicking 'end call'. Claude slipped the yo-yo into his bag and slammed his locker shut. The mayor's son straightened, and his face resumed the same expression of bored disdain it always carried before he left the locker room.

"No way!" Nino muttered, awestruck. "Claude is Mr. Bug?"

Someone brushed by Nino's shoulder and he stumbled forward slightly.

"Oops, sorry Nino," Alya apologized, arm in arm with Marinette.

"Alya!" Nino grabbed her wrist, an idea striking him. "I need your help. Come with me."

Alya raised an eyebrow, but Nino dragged her out of the locker room easily, much to Marinette's surprise.

"I-I'll see you later then," Marinette called, confused.

"Sorry girl!" Alya replied hastily as the door swung shut behind her.

"Nino!" Alya exclaimed. "You know how much time I get to spend with Marinette? Like none! What's up with you?"

"Not here," Nino said darkly, leading her down to the riverside. Alya grumbled, but allowed herself to be led to a bench by the Seine.

"I think I know who the real Mr. Bug is!" Nino said, grinning. He pulled out his phone and tried to call Adrien again.

"You what?" Alya blinked in surprise, drawing back. Nino groaned as Adrien's phone went straight to voicemail once again.

"Bro, what is up with you?" Nino muttered, hanging up and stuffing his phone back into his jacket.

"Wait wait, you know who Mr. Bug is?" Alya said sharply, gripping Nino's arm.

Nino didn't answer as he pulled open Adrien's backpack. He scribbled a message on a yellow sticky note and stuck it on Adrien's tablet.

"Nino!" Alya snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Mr. Bug?"

"Claude." Nino said simply, looking up at Alya. "It's Claude."

Alya's jaw dropped, and she stared at Nino incredulously. Then she burst out laughing.

"Claude? Nino, you must have your headphones up too loud. No way that rich boy is Mr. Bug!"

"Dude, it's the perfect cover!" Nino exclaimed, beaming. "No one would suspect it. It must all be an act."

"Mr. Bug or Claude Bourgeois?" Alya said dryly. Nino wasn't listening, his mind flying with the possibilities. His phone beeped, and he glanced down at it in interested. A news story popped up, and Alya and Nino watched as Mr. Bug and Lady Noire waved to the camera before disappearing above the rooftops.

"Claude? Really?" Alya said weakly.

"I'll prove it," Nino said firmly, jumping to his feet. "But I'll need your help."

"How are you going to prove that? Mr. Bug is super careful about his identity," Alya said, a note of pride creeping into her voice.

"You'll see!" Nino said mysteriously, a twinkle in his eye.

* * *

Nino shoved Alya into the locker room as Claude pulled open his locker. "Do it now! You got it!"

"Okay, okay!" Alya hissed, stumbling as she regained her footing. Claude looked up in distaste as Alya drew closer. Nino crossed his fingers behind his back and inched closer.

"Mr. Bug, look over there!" Alya stammered, pointing out the window.

"Mr. Bug?" Claude exclaimed, his face lighting up. "Where?" He swung around and peered out the window.

"Oh, heh, just the sunshine..." Alya cleared her throat. "I wonder who he really is, d-do you have any ideas?"

Claude's scowled at Alya as he faced her. "Why don't you get back to your comic books, Cesaire? Maybe you'll find Mr. Bug in there."

Nino snuck closer and pulled out his phone. Now was the moment if he wanted proof!

"Maybe you'd learn a little something from them too!" Alya snapped, her temper flaring. "Like how to be nice to people!"

"Please!" Claude rolled his eyes and Nino held up his phone. "Someone needs to teach you, Cesaire, how to-"

"Claude! Nino's looking in your locker!" Sabien yelped, pointing a threatening finger at Nino. Nino's heart stopped as he realized he was caught.

"What? No-no, dude, you've got it all wrong!" Nino stammered, holding up his hands in a feign of innocence.

"Why are you so keen to accuse him? Are you guys hiding something?" Alya countered, coming to Nino's defense. Nino shot her a grateful smile.

"Give it here!" Claude demanded, holding out his hand for Nino's phone.

"No! It's my phone, dude, chill!" Nino felt his temper rising and shoved d his hands behind his back. Almost instantly, he felt someone else yank his phone out of his hands.

"Hey!" He yelled, whipping around. Sabien smirked at him and tossed his phone over his head to Claude, who caught it easily.

"Liar!" Claude sneered, holding up Nino's phone to show the pictures Nino had taken of the interior of his locker. "I think this needs to go to the principal."

* * *

_**Hey friends! Thanks for your patience with the wait! I promise I'll keep working on it!**_

_**I decided not to change Nino and Alya's personalities too much, even though I'm tweaking Adrien's and Marinette's. Thoughts?**_

_**Also, I apologize for not coming up with better superhero names! I honestly just went off of what's already been used in the series as shown in Reflekdoll. I'm trying to stay as canon as possible-mostly because my own creativity skills are lacking! :) **_

_**Any thoughts so far? If you have any requests for episodes or mini plotlines, please let me know and I'll consider them! **_

_**Thanks for your support! Leave a review, I do go back and read them! Let me know if you see any typos or inconsistencies, I'm definitely not perfect.**_

_**Enjoy!**_


	3. Sir Wifi--Part II

Marinette ran into the school building just as the bell rang.

"Man, that akuma almost made me late!" She panted, brushing her bangs out of her face.

"Oh no, what a tragedy." Plagg rolled his eyes. "Being late for school?"

"Come on, silly, you know I try to do my best," Marinette shot her kwami a grin. "Now pipe down, I've got to get to class."

Marinette reached the top of the stairs just as the principal's office door flung open. Marinette frowned as she watched Nino stomp out, his fists clenched in apparent fury. Claude had a self-satisfied smirk on his lips as he followed close behind.

"Nino?" Marinette called, stepping closer. "Is everything okay?"

Nino grunted and barreled past Marinette, heading down the stairs to the courtyard.

"'Nettes, you missed it." Claude slipped an arm around Marinette's shoulders and pulled her closer. "That loser was trying to sneak into my stuff. I just made sure he got what he deserved."

Marinette winced as Claude's fingers gripped her shoulder, and she ducked easily under his arm.

"What do you mean? What did he do?" Marinette asked, stepping out of Claude's reach.

Claude shrugged, running his fingers through his silky blond hair. "Little sneak tried to get into my locker."

The second bell rang and Marinette jumped.

"Uh oh! Let's get to class!" Marinette raced away from Claude before he could offer to escort her.

"Why are you so distant with him?" Plagg asked curiously. "I mean, he's cute and he's crazy about you, right?"

"Later, Plagg!" Marinette murmured as she pushed open the classroom door. The class was buzzing with energy, and Marinette slid into her seat slightly confused.

"What's going on? What happened to Nino?" She asked Alya. Alya sighed.

"So Nino's convinced that Mr. Bug is Claude, so he thought it'd be clever to look in his locker for proof, because I didn't believe him. But then-"

"Wait!" Marinette grabbed Alya's arm. "Mr. Bug is...Claude?"

"That's what Nino thinks." Alya shrugged. "I'm not sure I buy it."

Marinette's mind was racing, and she stole a glance across the aisle to where Claude was boasting to Sabien. The mayor's son ran his fingers through his hair and sniggered. He noticed Marinette staring at him and winked.

Marinette smiled faintly and turned back to Alya. "Uh, so what happened to Nino?"

"Suspended for a week." Alya grimaced. "Harsh, huh?"

Marinette nodded sympathetically, her mind still on Mr. Bug. What if Nino was right? What if she actually was crushing on Claude?

"All right class, let's get started!" Ms. Bustier announced, clapping her hands. "Everyone pull out your notes, let's talk about your reading from last night."

As Ms. Bustier turned to write on the board, Adrien carefully pushed open the door and slipped inside. Marinette noticed him sneak in and shot him an encouraging smile as he crept past the front row. Adrien waved back and slid into his chair behind her. Marinette flipped open her notebook and scanned her notes from the previous night.

"Where is he?" Adrien hissed from behind her. Marinette turned, but realized that Adrien was talking to Alya.

"Suspended," Alya whispered back.

"What?" Adrien gasped, his arms gripping the desk.

Ms. Bustier swung around and scowled at the baker's son. "Adrien, if you're going to come in late, at least do it quietly!"

Adrien cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, ma'am."

Ms. Bustier sighed and turned back to the blackboard.

Adrien leaned forward again. "What happened?"

"Claude caught him peering in his locker," Alya responded quietly, meeting Adrien's gaze.

"Oh." Marinette could hear the confusion in his voice. "Why was Nino doing that?"

"He thinks Claude is Ladybug."

"What?" There was a clatter as Adrien jumped to his feet.

Ms. Bustier whipped around and held her piece of chalk up to point threateningly at Adrien.

"Adrien! That's it, go to the principal's office."

Adrien sighed and shuffled out into the aisle. "Sorry, Ms. Bustier."

* * *

As Adrien pulled the classroom door shut behind him, he felt Tikki nuzzle her way out of his shirt pocket.

"So that's what the note meant!" Tikki exclaimed. "Nino thinks that Claude is Mr. Bug!"

"He probably got so excited that he just jumped to conclusions," Adrien said sadly, walking down the hall to the principal's office. "You know how much of a fan he is of Mr. Bug."

"I hope he's okay," Tikki fretted. "Suspension sounds terrible. I can't even imagine what they're doing to him."

Adrien chuckled. "Tikki, do you know what suspension is?"

Tikki pouted. "Well...no."

"He's been kicked out of school for a week," Adrien explained. "So it's not that bad."

"Oh." Tikki giggled. "Well, I sure hope he's doing all right."

"Me too." Adrien paused in front of Mr. Damocles' office and gazed up at the plaque on the wall that read 'Principal's Office'. "Now hide!"

Adrien knocked on the door as Tikki slipped out of sight. "Mr. Damocles?" He called hesitantly. There was no answer, and Adrien pushed on the door. He was surprised to see the door push open and realized it hadn't been shut properly.

"Mr. Damocles, it's Adrien Dupain. I'm sorry, but..." Adrien trailed off as he looked up at the principal's desk. The principal appeared to be frozen in place with a glowing blue stop sign on his chest, his hand held up in fear. Adrien's heart clenched inside his gut and he rushed forward.

"Mr. Damocles? Sir?" Adrien waved a hand in front of the principal's face anxiously, but Mr. Damocles still didn't respond.

"What's going-" Adrien broke off as the monitor on Mr. Damocles' desk sparked to life.

"Listen up, viewers!" A voice crackled out of the speakers. Adrien grabbed the screen yanked it closer, his eyes widening. "Have I got news for you!"

"Oh no," Adrien murmured, his heart sinking. There were two figures on the screen: Mr Damocles sat at his desk, but a boy stood behind him, clutching a phone with a bright red case. The boy's body was covered by a sleek, black suit, and a blue belt shaped like a power button hung across his waist. An inky black mask stretched across his eyes, and a bright, blue beanie was pulled down to cover his ears. The same shade of blue was shown on his chest in a symbol resembling the service bars on a cell phone.

"The name's Sir Wifi, viewers." The boy grinned and held his hand up in a mock salute. "And I reveal the truth. The first scoop of the day comes from the totally uncool principal of Francois-Dupont High School."

"Is that...Nino?" Tikki gasped, peering out of Adrien's pocket. Adrien nodded glumly.

"That's his phone case. He got it as a tribute to Mr. Bug."

"So, Mr. Damocles, is it true you wrongly suspended a dude in your school today? Nino?" The boy said loudly, holding out his phone as if recording the conversation.

"Ah, well," The Principal stuttered, straightening his suit. "I suppose that is true, yes."

"Dude!" Nino shook his head in disgust. "So you admit that you were biased, cruel, and totally out of line?"

"Y-yes." Mr. Damocles cleared his throat nervously.

Sir Wifi nodded smugly. "Well, of course you were. So that's why..." He held his phone up and swiped at the screen with his finger. Mr. Damocles held up a hand, but a glowing green stop sign landed on his chest and he froze.

"For my next big scoop, I'll be showing you the boy behind the mask-Mr. Bug!" Sir Wifi laughed cruelly as the screen flickered to black.

Adrien dropped the monitor and jumped to his feet. "Come on, Tikki! We've got a story to catch!"

"Are you sure about this?" Tikki said nervously. "You're going to be fighting your best friend!"

Adrien shook his head firmly. "No, I'm going to be saving my best friend! Spots on!"

* * *

Marinette's mind was racing as she scampered down the school steps. Poor Nino had been akumatized all because he wanted to know the identities of the heroes of Paris! And now he was looking for Mr. Bug! A smile played on her lips as she thought of her superhero partner, his green eyes glittering mischievously as they bounded across the rooftops.

_Nino's convinced that Claude is Mr. Bug,_ Alya's voice rang in her mind. Marinette pursed her lips as Claude's sneering face filled her mind. She darted into an alley and clicked open her purse.

"Plagg, d'you really think Claude is Mr. Bug?" Marinette burst out, holding her purse up desperately.

Plagg sniffed, curled up in the bottom of Marinette's bag. "That brat, Mr. Bug?" Then the kwami looked up at Marinette slyly. "If he is, though, he's head over heels for you."

"You think?" Marinette said dreamily, placing a finger on her lips thoughtfully. Plagg cackled, then Marinette's eyes widened as she snapped back into reality. "But...if he is, then Nino's heading straight for her house! We've got to help!" Marinette brushed her hair off her shoulders. "Plagg, claws out!"

"Oh come on!" Plagg whined, but he was zipped up into Marinette's earrings, and Marinette shivered excitedly as the Lady Noire suit materialized around her. She yanked nervously on her braid before grabbed her staff off of her belt and bounding up on the rooftops.

It didn't take long for Lady Noire to reach the Grand Paris Hotel, but she hesitated on the neighboring roof. Would this be the moment she would learn the identity of her true love? She paused only for a moment before clicking a button on her staff to pop up the camera. She zoomed in on the hotel and caught a glimpse of red as she scanned the building for movement. Her stomach tightened and she focused in on the movement and saw...Mr. Bug. He was laughing as he unslung his yo-yo from around his waist.

Lady Noire's heart sank. Nino was right!

The superhero flung his yo-yo out, but it bounced off a light fixture and rebounded back to Mr. Bug, smacking him in the face. Lady Noire watched incredulously as he rubbed his cheek in annoyance and tried once more...but this time he swung too hard, and the yo-yo wrapped around his ankles. Lady Noire winced as Claude fell to the ground.

"Come on, you weren't fooled by that, were you?" A familiar voice said teasingly, and Lady Noire started, almost dropping her staff. She glanced up to see Mr. Bug-the _real_ Mr. Bug-standing over her, arms folded across his chest.

"Mr. Bug!" Lady Noire beamed. "I-of course not!"

Mr. Bug chuckled and grabbed his yo-yo, setting down next to his partner on the shingles of the rooftop. He clicked it open and also focused in on the hotel across the street. "Looks like the mayor's son is a Bug fan."

"A copycat?" Lady Noire's ears perked forward at her wit.

Mr. Bug shot her an amused look. "Well, someone's starting early. The fight hasn't even begun yet."

"Well, I just had the shock of my life!" Lady Noire protested, gesturing toward the hotel. "Imagine if you found out that your superhero partner was actually a spoiled brat! Someone's got to lighten the mood."

Mr. Bug grinned. "The mayor's son does have a nasty reputation," He admitted, looking back at the image on his yo-yo. "Although I'd think you'd have a little more faith-" He broke off as his yo-yo beeped warningly. His eyes narrowed.

"Uh oh. Looks like we've got coverage!"

Lady Noire bounded to her feet. "You ready for a scoop, Buggaboy?"

"Stop calling me that," Mr. Bug whined, but his partner was chortling happily as she clicked open her staff. "It-it sounds so...so not heroic!"  
"You know you're _my_ hero, my lord." Lady Noire winked and bounded off the roof. Mr. Bug sighed, but followed the black superhero across the street to face the super villain.

* * *

_**Welcome back, friends! **_

_**I know I haven't really hit the action yet, but I'm surprised as how long this is becoming, and we haven't even hit the climax yet! Thanks for your patience! **_

_**I do love reviews, you know. Let me know your thoughts!**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_


	4. Sir Wifi--Part III

The two superheroes landed delicately on the balcony, and Lady Noire cricked her neck as she held out her staff threateningly.

"So what's the plan? Do we sneak in? Am I the distraction, as usual?" She smirked. "I can be pretty distracting."

Mr. Bug clenched his fists. "We don't have time for that! Look!" He pointed inside where Sir Wifi was yanking the mask off Claude's face.

"Burst in on three," Mr. Bug said quickly, spinning his yo-yo behind his back anxiously. Lady Noire nodded, her smirk replaced with look of concentration. "One, two, three!"

The doors clattered against the wall as Paris's superheroes burst into the hotel.

Sir Wifi gaped at them, the mask falling from his grip. "Wh-what? Mr. Bug? Lady Noire?"

Lady Noire's eyes flashed with mischief. "That's right! What are you up to, Wifi?"

"Calm down, kitty-cat," Mr. Bug warned, relaxing slightly. He noticed a glowing blue video emblem on the ceiling that matched the pause sign on Claude's back. "We're live."

"B-but..." Sir Wifi looked back at Claude, still frozen in time. "I thought _he _was Mr. Bug."

"Think again!" Lady Noire said, grinning. "Better double check your facts before you post!"

"Dude." Sir Wifi huffed in annoyance, swiping an 'x' on his phone. Claude yelped and collapsed on the floor, and the video emblem vanished. "Well, at least you're here now! Why don't you tell us who you really are, Mr. Bug?"

"Nino! Snap out of it!" Mr. Bug exclaimed, rushing forward. Sir Wifi sneered and spun out of Mr. Bug's reach.

"Nino's been disconnected. The name's Sir Wifi, dude!" The super villain held up his phone and aimed it at Mr. Bug as the superhero stumbled to regain his footing.

"Mr. Bug, duck!" Lady Noire dove at her partner, with Mr. Bug grunted as she crashed into him. Her long braid smacked him in the face as they rolled to safety.

"Ow!" He groaned, rubbing at his eyes. "Careful with that hair of yours."

"Do you like it?" Lady Noire leaned closer, grinning.

Mr. Bug grunted and shoved her aside. "Focus, kitty-cat. We've got work to do."

"Well, what's the plan then?" She challenged, unabashed.

Mr. Bug clambered to his feet just in time to jump to one side as Sir Wifi shot another stop sign at him. "Uhh...one second, still thinking."

"You guys are going to give me the most views and subs I've ever gotten!" Sir Wifi promised, shooting another video cam on the ceiling. "Hey dudes!" He saluted to the camera. "Ever wonder who's really behind the mask? Well, I've got the sickest news! Stay tuned, Mr. Bug and Lady Noire are going to reveal their identities to us!"

"Fat chance, Wifi," Lady Noire snapped rolling to her feet. "I think your data plan's about to run out."

"Data!" Mr. Bug's eyes lit up. "Come on, I've got an idea!"

Lady Noire looked at him in confusion, but Sir Wifi swiped a pause sign her way and she dove forward.

"Follow me!" Mr. Bug jumped to avoid Sir Wifi's attack and raced toward the door. He felt Lady Noire on his heels as he yanked open the door to the stairs.

"So what's your brilliant idea?" Lady Noire panted, following her partner down the stairs.

"There's no service in the basement, right? He'd be powerless down there!" Mr. Bug said triumphantly, glancing up to see if Sir Wifi was following them. The door flung open, and Mr. Bug recognized a familiar black figure.

"Clever!" Lady Noire grinned, shooting him a sidelong glance. "So, d'you think we might actually know each other in real life?"

Mr. Bug stumbled slightly, and Lady Noire grabbed his upper arm to keep him from tumbling down the stairs. "W-what? What makes you say that?"

"Oh, just wondering," Lady Noire flashed him an innocent smile and released his arm.

"Now now, Lady, you know we're not supposed to know who we are," Mr. Bug said cautiously, avoiding her gaze. Lady Noire made a sound in the back of her throat.

"I-I know, but-watch out!" She grabbed Mr. Bug's arm again and yanked him to one side as a glowing blue stop emblem hit the wall just above his head.

"Okay, we need to focus, Blackie," Mr. Bug shot his partner a stern look. Lady Noire spluttered.

"Blackie? What am I, a housecat?"

"The best kind, kitty-cat." Mr. Bug's lips twitched, and he watched smugly as his partner stared at him speechlessly. It wasn't often he won their verbal banters. He

glanced down and realized they had reached the bottom. "Okay, get ready!"

The superheroes grabbed their weapons and waited tensely for Sir Wifi to reappear, but there was silence upstairs.

"Do you hear anything?" Mr. Bug muttered.

"I'm glad you asked," Lady Noire said happily. "We cats have the ears of-"

"Lady Noire!" Mr. Bug groaned, running his hand over his eyes. "Focus!"

Lady Noire giggled. "You know you like it, my lord." Mr. Bug rolled his eyes, but Lady Noire's black ears twitched and she closed her eyes as a look of intense

concentration crossed her features. Mr. Bug stared at her curiously, wonderingly idly what she looked like without the mask. Then her eyes popped open.

"A door just closed! She's gone back into the hotel!"

"All right, move!" Mr. Bug bolted back up the stairs. He heard Lady Noire squeak as she realized her partner wasn't next to her and hastily follow suit.

"So, uh, what do you do when you're not Mr. Bug?" Lady Noire called, finally catching up to her partner.

"Can't you see we're a little busy right now?" Mr. Bug fired back, glancing up at the doors they ran past. Each was covered with a glowing blue lock sign. "He's locked them all!"

"Not all of them!" Lady Noire pointed to the next level up. Mr. Bug followed her gaze and picked out the lack of the lock on the door.

"Get ready for an ambush!" He warned. Lady Noire clenched her fists and took a half step back. "On three. One, two..." Mr. Bug also leaned back slightly before rushing forward. "Three!"

The door burst open and Mr. Bug swung his yo-yo in front of him, creating a shield. Lady Noire had her staff extended in front of her, but she paused as they met no resistance.

"Hm. So much for that ambush." She noted. Mr. Bug shot her an irritated look before stashing his yo-yo back on his belt.

"Stay alert. He's around here somewhere."

"Whatever you say, my lord." Lady Noire agreed primly. Mr. Bug winced and faced his partner.

"Okay, where does that come from? I'm Mr. Bug, remember? No lords or ladies involved."

"_Au contraire, mon ami_." Lady Noire clicked her staff closed and stuck it on her belt. She placed a hand on her chest and assumed a noble expression. "I happen to be a lady. Which makes you..." Lady Noire leaned closer and tapped him on the nose, making him flinch. "...a lord."

Mr. Bug was speechless. He opened his mouth to snap back a clever response, but words failed him as he met his partner's gaze. Lady Noire was staring at him, her lips parted in a smirk and her eyes twinkling with mischief. Mr. Bug huffed and turned back to the room.

"Silly cat," He muttered, grabbing his yo-yo once more.

Lady Noire giggled, and Mr. Bug heard a click as she reopened her staff.

"Hey dudes!" Sir Wifi sparked into existence in front of the superheroes and landed on a table. "Thanks for coming to the party! It's going to be lit!" The villain smirked as he swiped on his phone towards Mr. Bug and Lady Noire.

"Watch out!" Mr. Bug barked, and he dove to one side, Lady Noire mirroring him.

"Loosen up, dudes. It's just a scoop. I just want your miraculous." Sir Wifi disappeared and reappeared further in the room.

"How is he doing that?" Lady Noire growled, jumping forward and spinning her staff threateningly. Mr. Bug's eyes narrowed as he bent over the table Sir Wifi had just vacated.

"The phones!" He grunted in satisfaction. "He's using the cell service to get around!"

"You're just a pesky virus, Wifi!" Lady Noire snarled, racing across the room. Sir Wifi chuckled softly and vanished before Lady Noire's staff could hit him. Then he appeared behind her and shoved her across the room with another table. She cried out as she was slammed into the opposite wall, and she tumbled behind a bar, dazed.

"Lady Noire!" Mr. Bug called anxiously, dashing forward. He lashed out with his yo-yo, but the super villain disappeared again before the weapon hit him.

"You'll never catch me, Mr. Bug!" Sir Wifi crowed, phasing around the room into different phones. Mr. Bug's eyes darted to the tables and he smirked triumphantly.

"Sure I can." Mr. Bug straightened and swung his yo-yo at the nearest cell phone, cracking it instantly. Then he walked forward determinedly, smashing every other phone in the room.

Sir Wifi gaped at him, finally phasing out of the last phone and running down the hallway to the kitchen. Mr. Bug was vaguely aware of Lady Noire vaulting back over the bar and racing behind him, but his attention was focused on Sir Wifi as he darted into the kitchen.

"I've got you now, Wifi!" Mr. Bug muttered, unslinging his yo-yo once more.

Just as Mr. Bug shouldered open the swinging kitchen doors, Sir Wifi swiped up on his phone and fired a lock sign at the red-spotted superhero. Mr. Bug's eyes widened in alarm, but he dove to one side, avoiding the glowing lock. The doors behind him slammed shut, and he heard a thud as Lady Noire slammed into them.

"Ow! No!" Mr. Bug heard her shout. "Hang on, Bug!"

"Hurry!" Mr. Bug called back, leaping behind the oven. Sir Wifi laughed and shot more symbols at the ladybug superhero as he cowered behind the oven.

"Are you ready to give up, Mr. Bug?" Sir WiFi taunted, leaning up against the counter coolly.

"You wish!" Mr. Bug jumped to his feet and thrust up his yo-yo. "Lucky Charm!"

A small metal box dropped into his hands, and his heart sank.

"A box? What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Looks like your luck's run out!" Sir Wifi smirked and shot another lock sign at Mr. Bug. Caught by surprise, Mr. Bug gasped as his left hand was yanked back and pinned to the wall.

"No!" Mr. Bug gritted his teeth and ducked as Sir Wifi aimed for his other hand clutching the box.

"Hey! Wifi!" Lady Noire hopped down from the dumbwaiter and ran forward. "Why don't you go charge down for a while?"

"Perfect timing, kitty!" Mr. Bug sighed in relief as his partner engaged Sir Wifi in combat. He scanned the room and glanced down at his box, trying to figure out how to use it. Nothing caught his eye, and he pursed his lips anxiously. He carefully jumped to his feet, twisting his left arm so he could stand upright.

Lady Noire screamed as Sir WiFi kicked her into the freezer. The door clicked shut, and Lady Noir was slammed into the side of the fridge. Her cheek hit cold metal, and there was a flash of pain in her right ear. She felt a blast of cold air and collapsed to the floor.

Marinette groaned and put a hand over her eyes, dazed. Then she gasped as realized her transformation had dropped.

"Ah! I lost an earring!" She scrambled to her feet and her eyes darted to the floor. "Plagg! You okay?"

"Just freezing to death!" The kwami responded, his tiny teeth chattering.

"I've got to find my miraculous before we freeze!" Marinette bent her knees and gathered Plagg up in her hands.

"Be c-careful Marinette!" Plagg whispered, and Marinette tucked him away in her pocket.

She heard a banging on the door and Mr. Bug cursed.

"I-I'll get you out of there, Lady Noire!"

"T-take your time!" Marinette shivered, feeling around the floor for her earring.

"If Hawkmoth were to find out your i-identity, that'd b-be really bad," Plagg hissed from inside Marinette's coat.

"I know, Plagg!" Marinette groaned, leaning back on her haunches and buttoning up her jacket. "I'll find my miraculous, don't worry!" Her hands ran over the floor in the corner of the room, and her fingers touched something metal. Grinning, Marinette wrapped her fingers around her earring and pushed it into her earlobe.

"Plagg, Claws Out!"

* * *

Mr. Bug clicked _start_ on the microwave and shoved it up against the freezer door.

"Come on, jam the signal..." Mr Bug muttered, hopping back and forth as the microwave started humming. The lock emblem melted away as the microwave continued to hum. Finally, the appliance exploded, and Mr. Bug yanked it aside. The door flung open, and Lady Noire stumbled out, her knees buckling.

"Whoa!" Mr. Bug caught her around the waist and lowered her gently to the ground. He laid a hand on her forehead, and he felt a flash of fear at the icy temperature of her face.

"Kitten, you're ice cold!" He wrapped his arms around his partner, pulling her closer. Her head slumped on his shoulder, unresponsive. Mr. Bug clutched her tighter.

"Something's wrong, the miraculous should protect you from the cold!"

Suddenly Lady Noire groaned, and Mr. Bug's heart lifted.

"M-my miraculous fell off. I'm still r-recovering from that," she mumbled, shifting slightly in his arms. Mr. Bug relaxed his grip, and Lady Noire pulled back, clutching her forehead. Then her eyes widened and she leaned away, her cheeks flushing.

Something beeped, and Mr. Bug glanced down at his ring.

"Y-you used your lucky charm to save me?" Lady Noire looked up at her partner, her mouth dropping open.

"I had to," Mr. Bug said grimly. He pointed up to the video camera in the corner of the room. "We have to get out of here."

Lady Noire frowned, and Mr. Bug noticed some of the color returning to her face. "How did you escape Sir Wifi?"

Mr. Bug wrapped his arm around Lady Noire's waist and lifted her carefully to her feet. "He let me go once my miraculous started beeping." He shrugged. "I guess he was too lazy to fight me for it. I think he'll come back once it times out."

"Then we don't have much time." Lady Noire winced, but she managed to stand upright. "Do you have a plan?"

"A-are you going to be okay?" Mr. Bug asked nervously, keeping an arm around her shoulders. "I think you have hypothermia, kitty."

Lady Noire cracked a grin. "Hey, this kitty's got nine lives. Don't worry about me, I think my miraculous is helping."

Mr. Bug nodded once, scanning the room. "Okay, let's get to work!" He grabbed a frying pan and held it out to Lady Noire. "Cover the camera, will you?"

"With pleasure." Lady Noire took the frying pan and climbed carefully up onto the counter. She beamed at the camera before jamming the pan up into the corner of the walls.

"Here, use this!" Mr. Bug held up a roll of duct tape, and Lady Noire nodded.

"Purr-fect!" Lady Noire held her hand out for the tape, and Mr. Bug tossed the roll up to her. Lady Noire caught it easily and taped the pan in place.

"Okay, I'll go jam the signal!" Lady Noire jumped down from the counter and bounded over to the dumbwaiter.

"I'll be right behind you. Be careful!" Mr. Bug pressed _up _on the dumbwaiter

Lady Noire grinned and saluted from her cramped position in the mini elevator before Mr. Bug disappeared from view. As the darkness grew heavier, Lady Noire felt a familiar pressure building in her chest. The walls seemed to press harder on her body, and Lady Noire forced herself to breathe.

"Don't panic, it's just an elevator," she whispered to herself, clenching her was a buzz as the dumbwaiter arrived at the next floor up, and Lady Noire yanked open the door in relief. She tumbled out onto the floor and took a deep breath.

"Whew. Glad that's over," she panted, brushing her bangs out of her face.

"Lady Noire!" She heard a voice snarl, and she instinctively rolled to one side. There was a flash of light just over her head, and Lady Noire's grunted in shock. There was a faint explosion, and the superhero glanced up to see the dumbwaiter vanish in a cloud of dust.

"Guess Buggaboy'll need to wait until there's no service," Lady Noire realized, frowning.

"He's not going anywhere! The dude's just going to have to chill." Sir Wifi fired another symbol at Lady Noire, but Lady Noire was already moving. She bounded op against the wall and dove across the room, rolling to break her fall. She let her momentum carry her to her feet and she pushed open the stair doors.

"Get back here!" Sir Wifi yelled, but Lady Noire yanked closed the door behind her.

"Ow." Lady Noire swayed slightly, gripping the banister as she raced up the stairs. She was panting, but she could feel her adrenaline fueling her forward and she breathed a silent prayer that she would make it through the night unscathed.

The door to the roof seemed heavy, but Lady Noire shoved it open and darted outside.

"There you are," she muttered, eyeing the giant antenna on the roof. She ran forward and held out her right hand.

"Cataclysm!" She cried, and a filmy dark cloud formed around her fist. She jumped up and landed on the base of the antenna easily.

"No you don't!" Sir Wifi materialized at the top of the antenna. "Stupid cat!" Lady Noire jumped back as Sir Wifi fired at her.

"Hey, that's not very nice!" Lady Noire pouted as she landed on her feet, careful to keep her right hand from touching the roof. "We cats are sensitive creatures."

"Then I hope this hurts!" Sir Wifi bounded forward, but Lady Noire easily slipped under his arm so she was closer to the cell tower again. Grinning, she raced forward, raising her hand.

"Cut it out!" Sir Wifi barked, whipping around. Lady Noire froze, spinning to face her opponent once more.

"You can't catch me!" Lady Noire stuck out her tongue as she dodged another glowing stop symbol flying her way. Chortling, she flung her staff at Sir Wifi, then turned back to the tower. As soon as Sir Wifi was distracted, she leapt back up to the antenna and placed her hand on its metal siding. Lady Noire beamed with satisfaction is the whole tower rumbled once and phased into black powder.

"No! So not cool!" Sir Wifi cried, but it was too late. Lady Noire cackled happily and jumped down next to the supervillain.

"Naugty Sir Wifi, I think you need to hand in your phone." Lady Noire jumped forward, reaching for the cell phone clutched in her opponents hand.

"Dude, lay off!" Sir Wifi hissed, drawing back. Lady Noire's eyes narrowed and she aimed a kick at Sir Wifi's knee. The villain dodged, elbowing Lady Noire in the stomach in turn. Lady Noire gasped and keeled over, clutching her ribs. Suddenly, she heard a familiar zipping sound and her heart lifted.

"You're minutes are up, Wifi!" Mr. Bug yelled, and he flung his yo-yo at the supervillain.

"No!" Sir Wifi yelped as Mr. Bug's yo-yo wrapped around his wrist.

"Thanks for letting me out, Blackie." Mr. Bug shot his partner a grin. Lady Noire straightened and smiled back

"Just returning the favor, my lord."

Mr. Bug yanked Sir Wifi closer, and the cell phone dropped from his hand. Mr. Bug darted forward and stomped hard on the phone, a smug smile on his face. An inky black butterfly floated out from the phone, and Mr. Bug quickly captured it in his yo-yo.

"Where's your lucky charm?" Lady Noire asked curiously, inching closer as her partner released the now-white butterfly from his yo-yo.

"I fished it out of the microwave." Mr. Bug grimaced as he showed his partner to smoldering black remains of a metal box.

"That's what you used to get me out?" Lady Noire blinked, thinking hard. "I guess the microwaves would sever the connection between the symbol and the phone. Phones use radio waves after all."

Mr. Bug looked amused. "Hm. Someone knows their physics."

Lady Noire winked, leaning up against her staff and popping her hip. "I dabble my claws in all sorts of things, my lord."

Mr. Bug chuckled and threw the melted lucky charm up into the air. "Miraculous Mr. Bug!" Lady Noire breathed easier as the glittering ladybugs flocked around her.

Nino groaned and sat up, surprising the two superheroes next to him. "Ugh..."

"Nino!" Mr. Bug knelt next to the former villain and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Mr. Bug?" Nino yelped, drawing back. Then his face lit up. "Dude! C-Can I get an interview for my YouTube channel? Let me just grab my phone..."

Mr. Bug's ring flashed one more time, and Lady Noire grabbed his hand. "You've got to split! Let's go!"

Mr. Bug nodded and let Lady Noire drag him back inside.

"So...so you know Ni..uh...that boy?" Lady Noire said casually as they bolted back down the stairs to the lobby.

"Yeah." Mr. Bug said shortly, yanking open the final door. "I'm about to transform back! See you next time, kitty-cat!" He pushed open a closet door and stepped inside, moving to close the door behind him.

"Wait!" Lady Noire grabbed the door, holding it open. "W-will you stay? I won't tell anyone who you are. We could be stronger!"

Mr. Bug hesitated, turning to face his partner. "Lady Noire...no one can know. Not even us. It's dangerous."

"But what if-" Lady Noire bit back her retort, not wanting to appear desperate. _What if we know each other?_

"No buts." Mr. Bug sighed. "I'm sorry. I wish we could. I do trust you, you know." He smiled wryly at Lady Noire. Her heart fluttered as his bright smile. Then his ring flashed one final time, and the red-spotted superhero's eyes shot open. Lady Noire felt a weight settle in her stomach as her partner yanked the door shut as he detransformed. Her hands shaking, Lady Noire reached for the handle of the closet door, imaging the face of her true love behind it. Then Mr. Bug's words resounded in her ear, and she withdrew her hand.

Lady Noire rubbed at her forehead and took a deep breath before darting out of the hotel. She slipped behind a dumpster and released her transformation.  
"I can't believe you, kid!" Plagg howled, zooming up in front of Marinette's face. "That was your chance to see the love of your life, and you didn't take it?"

"Plagg, it's not that simple." Marinette sighed, running her fingers through her bangs and brushing them aside. "Mr. Bug's right. We can't know yet, it's dangerous."

"Yet?" Plagg repeated. "What about when it's not dangerous?"

Marinette smiled innocently. "Well, that's different then, isn't it?"

Plagg cackled. "You'll be the first to tell him, won't you."

"You bet I will." Marinette's smile widened. "Our future together will be the best thing to ever happen to me."

"Future?" Plagg gagged. "Don't get all sappy on me, you know I don't do that."

"Oh, but it'll be such a _miraculous _future Plagg!" Marinette grinned wickedly as Plagg groaned.

"Just get my camembert, Marinette," Plagg replied firmly. Marinette giggled and fished a piece of cheese out of her bag. As Plagg noisely began munching on his favorite snack, she briefly considered what Mr. Bug had said about knowing Nino. Did that mean he went to her school? Did they actually know each other? Mr. Bug's face appeared in her mind, and she hesitated. He was right about their identities staying a secret-for now, Marinette added to herself. The time would come. She was sure of it.

* * *

_**A/N: There you have it! The first of many one-shots in this reversed world. Even though it wasn't really a one-shot...but I had to get a feel for their characters within something familiar before I start branching out. The rest will probably be shorter, unless you guys want me to do another episode. Any preferences? Feedback? Thoughts? I edited the episode a bit, I know, but I felt like it made more sense this way? The microwave bit was hard to get, so I tried to explain that a bit more. And I glossed over some bits too that I didn't feel like writing. :) But I think it worked out. **_

_**Leave a review if you want more! Thanks for your support!**_


	5. A Trip to the Bakery

Marinette collapsed on her bed exhaustedly. "Plagg, what am I going to about Mister Bug? He's never going to love me!"

"Marinette, chill out!" Plagg groaned, hovering at her shoulder. "He's just a dumb boy."

"No he's not!" Marinette glared at her kwami. "He's brave and kind and thoughtful and selfless-"

"Not again!" Plagg sighed. Marinette ignored him and continued.

"-and smart and cute and loving...I love him, Plagg!"

"Well, why not talk to him about it?" Plagg suggested dryly. "If you care so much about him-"

"And have him reject me?" Marinette rolled over, burying her face in her pillows. "No! I know he loves someone else. She must be amazing."

"Don't get jealous, Marinette," Plagg warned. "He has every right to love whomever he likes."

"I just want it to be me!" Marinette whined, clutching her pillows tightly.

"Marinette?" Nathalie knocked softly on Marinette's bedroom door. "It's time for your photoshoot."

"Here we go again," Marinette groaned, pulling herself off her bed.

"What, you don't enjoy your face posted on every billboard in town?" Plagg said innocently, zipping over to Marinette's purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

"No." Marinette said shortly.

"I'd bet my camembert that Mr. Bug knows who you are because of these photo shoots, kid." Plagg waggled his eyebrows. "They can't be all bad."

Marinette's face brightened. "You're right, Plagg! Let's go!"

Plagg cackled once and zipped into Marinette's small purse as the model strode out of her room, a bounce in her step.

* * *

Marinette's good mood faded fast as a chilly breeze tugged at the filmy purple cardigan that she was modeling that afternoon. She shivered and pulled it tighter across her chest.

"Ah ah ah! Marinetta, we need to see your other shirt, carina!" The photographer scolded, looking out from behind the camera.

Marinette grimaced and let the folds of the transparent garment fall back to her sides, revealing the white, marbled blouse beneath. The photographer nodded in satisfaction. Marinette let her gaze slide back to the middle distance, and her features automatically assumed a thoughtful expression. It was the enigmatic smile that drove her fans crazy, and Marinettte wasn't surprised when the camera began flashing more insistently, seeking to capture the young model's most appealing look.

"Ah! Magnifica, carina!" The photographer clapped his hands together excitedly as he stepped out from behind the tripod. "You deserve a gold star!"

"Thanks, Vincent." Marinette flashed a grin as she hurriedly yanked her sweater around her body, trying to retain some heat in her arms and hands.

"Let's take a break, Vincent," Nathalie called, stepping forward. Marinette let out a deep breath, and noted with surprise that she was shivering slightly.

Vincent nodded distractedly and strode back over to his camera. Marinette walked quickly to her mother's secretary and tucked her hands up under her forearms.

"Nathalie, can I go someplace to w-warm up a bit?"

Nathalie glanced down stoically at her charge, her expression neutral. Marinette smiled hopefully and pulled her cardigan tighter around her chest.

"What do you propose?" Nathalie asked.

"Oh, I-I don't know, maybe a place with hot chocolate..." Marinette turned her head to scan the streets nearby. A sleek, black and white building on the corner caught her eye, and her heart leapt as she read the sign for the Dupain Bakery.

"What about the bakery right over there?" Marinette suggested timidly, pulling one hand out momentarily to point at the bakery across the street.

Nathalie followed Marinette's finger and gazed at the bakery, her face unreadable. Marinette crossed her fingers as she quickly folded her arms once more.

"I suppose that would be all right," Nathalie said finally, and Marinette beamed.

"Be right back!" The model dashed past her mother's secretary, her sights set on the warm lights twinkling inside the bakery.

"Marinette!" Nathalie called, but Marinette ignored her and raced across the street. She slowed as she reached the door of the Dupain's business so that she was walking by the time she pushed open the door. A small bell tinkled as she stepped inside, and Marinette was immediately overwhelmed with the warm aroma of vanilla and fresh bread. Inhaling, she let her eyes flutter closed as she soaked in the comforting smells of the bakery before walking closer to the counter.

She noticed Adrien bustling through the back door, an apron tied around his waist and smudge of flour on one cheek. He was clutching a baguette and didn't notice Marinette as he moved to place it on the counter.

"Hi Adrien!" Marinette said brightly, waving as she moved closer to her friend. Adrien's eyes widened and her stumbled back as he met Marinette's gaze. His hands flew up, and the long baguette he clutched flew forward over the counter. Marinette gasped and jumped forward, catching the baguette easily in both hands.

"M-Marinette! I'm clutzy! Sorr..." Adrien cleared his throat and tried again. "I'm sorry! I'm such a clutz."

Marinette giggled and held out the long cylinder of bread. "No worries! I'm glad I'm here to help!" Her smile widened as Adrien took the baguette back from her. "How're things going?"

"Hm? Oh, fine." Adrien rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead absently. "It's been busy in the bakery. But better now that you're here." His eyes widened as he realized what he'd said. "I-I mean! You came at a good time, the bakery's not busy!"

"Yeah, I'm in the middle of a photo shoot." Marinette made a face and leaned up against the counter. Adrien's cheeks flushed, but Marinette didn't notice. "It's cold with the wind though, so Nathalie let me come grab something warm."

"Well, let me get you some of our hot chocolate then!" Adrien swung around and hurriedly grabbed a cup. "Vanilla, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice?"

"Mmm..." Marinette's mouth watered. "Which is your favorite, Adrien?"

"Well, I usually mix them together, honestly." Adrien smiled sheepishly, fiddling with the cup in his hands. "I just add a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon to the pumpkin spice. Really sweet, but creamy and rich. Definitely tastes like fall."

"Ooh, that's brilliant! Can you make me that?" Marinette said eagerly. Adrien nodded, his face lighting up.

"Give me just a second here..." He took the cup in his hands and turned around, heading for a tall drink cooler that bore the letters "Hot Cocoa".

"So how was your day, Adrien?" Marinette asked politely, watching his as he filled up the cup with the creamy brown liquid. Adrien stiffened, but his hands remained still as he shut off the dispenser.

"M-my day? Uhh.." Adrien set the cup carefully on the bar behind him and picked up a spice shaker. "Pretty boring, to be honest. I've just been working on some homework and trying some new design ideas."

"That's cool! What kind of designs?"

"Heh, nothing really, just some sketches." Adrien turned so Marinette could only see his back as he measured out some spices and dumped them in the hot cocoa.

"I didn't realize you were so into designing! Maybe I can model some of your work sometime?" Marinette offered, tilting her head.

"Y-yeah, I'd love that!" Adrien blurted out, spinning around with a wide grin on his face. "I'll start working on it right away!"

Marinette grinned back. "Sounds good to me!"

Adrien met her gaze for a moment; then his cheeks turned pink and he swung back to the hot chocolate. Taking a spoon, he stirred it gently before placing a lid snugly over the top.

"Here you are, m'lady." Adrien held out the cup, his eyes twinkling. "Hope you enjoy it!" Marinette frowned slightly at his choice of words, her thoughts immediately going to Mr. Bug. She was the one to call him 'my lord', right? So why...

Marinette shoved her thoughts aside and took the cup. "Thanks, Adrien! You're the best!"

"My pleasure, really. And this one's on the house," he added as Marinette made to take out her wallet. Marinette glanced up, concerned.

"You sure? I'm more than happy to-"

"Positive! It's my gift to make sure you stay warm out there." Adrien nodded his head towards the window. "Fall can be nasty in Paris, you know." Marinette's eyes crinkled as she smiled warmly.

"Well, I really appreciate it. You're a good friend, Adrien."

Adrien's smile faltered, but Marinette was too busy sipping her drink to notice. "Mm, Adrien this is divine! You're good at this!"

"Thanks! Just trying to do some good, y'know." Adrien forced a smile and rubbed the back of his head.

Marinette sighed as she glanced back out the window. "Well, I should probably get going. Nathalie will have my head if I don't get back soon."

Adrien nodded. "Good luck with the photo shoot! You look great!" He broke off as his cheeks flushed red. "I-I mean, the, uh, outfit looks great! Your mother has some great designs this time!"

Marinette laughed and struck a pose with the flowy lilac cardigan. "Thanks, Adrien! I'll see you at school!" She waved cheerily and headed out the door. Just as she pushed open the door to the outside, a blast of wind ruffled her cardigan and Marinette winced. Then she took another sip of the hot cocoa and felt the warmth surge through her body, and she relaxed.

Plagg poked his nose out of Marinette's purse. "Yikes! It's freezing out here!"

"Well, at least I've got something hot to warm me up!" Marinette clutched her hot cocoa with both hands, the warmth radiating through the plastic. Plagg smirked.

"Ooh, you mean from blond boy? That is warm!"

"Plagg!" Marinette groaned. "He's just a friend!"

Plagg snorted and dove back into the purse, seeking shelter from the wind. Marinette shivered and took another sip before wandering back across the street to the photoshoot location. Even though it was cold, her heart lifted as her grip tightened around her hot chocolate. At least she had something to keep her warm this time!

* * *

_**A/N: Hey friends, welcome back! **_

_**I don't really have much to say about this, other than it's freezing where I'm at right now and I could do with some pumpkin spice hot cocoa...but I guess I'll survive somehow!  
I'd love to hear your thoughts! Any ideas? I'm worried I'll lose steam on this, so please read and review if you have anything you want to see reversed. I hope to show all sides of the love square, but I'm definitely more of an Adrienette and a LadyNoir shipper myself, so I might have more of that in here. **_

_**Thanks for reading!**_


	6. Eclairs?

**_Hey y'all!! Sorry I'm so slow at posting new things. I literally had no ideas for a hot minute. Please, if you have any feel free to leave a review, and I'll write it up! _**

**_Hope y'all are surviving with the quarantine. At least I have time to write more. :) _**

**_Enjoy! _**

* * *

Adrien yawned as he pushed open the door to his home.

"Adrien!" His mother exclaimed, rushing over and throwing her arms around her son. "Welcome home, sweetheart!"

"Hi mom." Adrien smiled faintly as he was enveloped in his mother's warmth. Her blonde hair was soft against his cheek, and he resisted the urge to bury his face in it like he did when he was younger.

"How was your day?" Adrien's mother asked, pressing her lips to the top of his head before she pulled away.

"Fine." Adrien yawned again. "I'm exhausted. I stayed up too late last night working on stuff."

"Stuff? What kind of stuff?"

"Oh, j-just some new designs." Adrien stammered. "Nothing really."

"That's exciting! What kind of designs?" The blonde baker smiled fondly at her son as she stepped back around the counter.

"Just some dresses," Adrien said hastily, rubbing the back of his head as he drew closer to his mom. "Nothing too fancy."

"I'm sure they were beautiful," Mrs. Dupain said earnestly. The oven beeped and she started slightly. Adrien laughed softly.

"Stop it," Adrien's mother said accusingly, turning away from her son to pull the pastries out of the oven. "You know how jumpy I am, sugar!"

"Don't worry about it, mom," Adrien assured her, beaming. "It's just how I know you're not an imposter."

Mrs. Dupain pouted as Adrien stretched up on his tiptoes to kiss her cheek.

"I've got homework to do, so I'll see you later!" Adrien waved before disappearing up the stairs.

"Bye, hon!"

* * *

Adrien groaned as he settled down into his desk chair. "Tikki, am I supposed to be this exhausted all the time?"

Tikki zipped out of Adrien's pocket and hovered in front of her master. "It depends on the user, Adrien! You've got a lot going on, it's okay to be tired!"

Adrien yawned, slouching deeper in his chair. "It's just...I never feel like it slows down, you know? It's always thing after thing..." Adrien gazed painfully up at Tikki. "Don't I ever get a break?"

"That depends on what you need to recharge," Tikki chirped, her eyes brightening. "What do you feel like you're missing?"

Adrien frowned thoughtfully, running his fingers through his hair. "Sleep, for one thing."

Tikki giggled then broke off as a loud crash interrupted her.

"What was that?" Adrien said sharply, rising to his feet.

"I think it came from outside!" Tikki squeaked, turning toward the window.

"Come here!" Adrien held open his jacket and ushered Tikki into his pocket. "Let's go check it out!"

Adrien clambered up the ladder to his bed and pushed open the skylight to the balcony above the bakery. He blinked at the sudden sunlight before scanning the balcony.

"Lady Noire!"

Lady Noire was lying on the floor of the balcony tangled in the mound of blankets Adrien kept outside for stargazing. Her eyes were dazed, and she had one leg hanging over the arm of an overturned lounge chair. She stiffened in surprise at the sound of Adrien's voice and hurriedly tried to scramble to her feet--only for the blankets to tighten around her knees and pull her back to the ground.

"Oh, let me help you." Adrien pulled himself up onto the balcony and knelt next to his partner.

"Sorry," Lady Noire grinned sheepishly as Adrien pulled away the blankets from around her legs. "Guess this cat needs to work on landing on her feet."

Adrien rolled his eyes at the pun before remembering that he wasn't in costume. He suddenly yanked his hands away and gasped loudly.

"Wait a second! Lady Noire is at m-my house! You're.." Adrien swallowed and forced his eyes open as wide as he could. "You're a superhero."

The cat superhero giggled and rose to her feet, stepping carefully out from the knot of blankets around her ankles. "In the flesh!" She curtsied with a flourish and held out a hand. "To whom do I have the pleasure of meeting this afternoon?"

"Adrien!" Adrien grabbed her hand in feigned excitement and pumped it eagerly. "Adrien Dupain!"

"Nice to meet you, Adrien!" Lady Noire winked and released his hand.

"But...what are you doing here?" Adrien questioned, glancing around the balcony again. "Is there an akuma?"

"Naw, I just needed some time off, y'know?" Lady Noire flicked her long braid behind her and stretched her arms up over her head. "A little break. Something to take my mind off things."

"A break?" Adrien repeated, feeling Tikki nudge him from inside his shirt. "You mean...you mean superheroes need a break?"

Lady Noire popped her hip and pulled her staff from her belt before leaning on it. "Of course! Everybody does, don't they?"

"I-I guess." Adrien stared at his partner curiously. There were faint dark circles under her eyes, and her arms slumped wearily on her staff. He never thought his partner would be someone to tire out as easily as he did, but it did look like Lady Noire could use some rest too. "But...what do you do to get a break?"

Lady Noire straightened and gazed out over Paris. "Oh, any chance I get to be Lady Noire and spend time with Mr. Bug..." She smiled softly, still looking out over the city. "That's my favorite thing."

Adrien's heart softened as the wind gently ruffled Lady Noire's bangs, and he mirrored Lady Noire's gentle smile. "I'm glad to hear it," he said softly.

Lady Noire glanced back at him, her eyes twinkling. "I also take lots of catnaps," she said primly, and she clicked her staff back onto her belt. Then she yawned hugely, and blinked wearily.

Adrien felt a twinge of sympathy for the girl in front of him. "Can I get you anything? Water? Eclairs?"

"No no, thank you," Lady Noire held out her hands, smiling. Then her nose twitched, and she tilted her head. "Wait, did you say eclairs?"

Adrien grinned and backed away toward the skylight. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

Lady Noire tilted her head, and her tail flicked curiously as Adrien dropped back through the skylight to his bedroom.

"This is really nice of you, Adrien," Tikki whispered as her master dashed downstairs to the bakery.

"It's the least I could do for my partner, right?" Adrien hissed back, pushing open the last door.

Adrien smirked as he crept closer to the doorway leading into his family's business.

"Watch this," he murmured to Tikki, and then suddenly leapt into the room.

"Mom!" He yelled, grinning. He was just waiting for his mother to shriek and whip around, but he gasped as he spotted her behind the counter in front of a long line of people. His cry went unnoticed with all the noise from the customers crowded into the little bakery. Mrs. Dupain nodded frantically at the lady in front of her before spinning around to slip into the back room.

Adrien shuffled his way over to his mother and followed her into the back of the small bakery. "Hey mom?"

Mrs. Dupain shrieked and spun to face Adrien. "Ah!" Then her body relaxed and she pursed her lips. "Adrien! Don't scare me like that!"

Adrien grinned. "Mom, do you need any help?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful, sugar," Adrien's mother said gratefully. "Grab an apron!"

"One second!" Adrien slipped back out front and grabbed two eclairs from a plate on the counter before dashing back upstairs. He burst out of the skylight and held the pastries out to a shocked Lady Noire.

"Here!" Adrien beamed. "Thanks for doing such an amazing job in protecting Paris!"

Lady Noire's ears perked up as she clambered back to her feet. "You didn't! Oh, wow!"

Adrien laughed at her reaction as she hesitantly reached out for an eclair. "Go ahead! They're all yours, Lady Noire!"

Lady Noire looked up at him, her eyes shining. "Thank you, Adrien."

"No problem." Adrien's eyes twinkled, and he started to slip back through the window.

"Wait!" Lady Noire grabbed his wrist. "Will you stay? I-I promise I don't bite. I could use the company."

Adrien blinked. "I, uh, would love to, butI have to go help my mom in the bakery. We just got super busy."

"Oh." Lady Noire's ears drooped and then perked back up. "Can I help too? I'll keep my claws to myself, promise!"

Adrien hesitated, her grip on his arm tightening. "I mean, we've got it--"

"I want to!" Lady Noire squealed, finally releasing his wrist and clapping her hands together. "I-I've never worked in a bakery before! It'd be so fun!"

Adrien sighed, relenting. "Fine! Come around to the front. I'll meet you at the counter."

Lady Noire beamed and bounded to her feet. "Purr-fect!"

Adrien smiled faintly and disappeared back through his window.

"Great idea, Adrien!" Tikki praised him as he rushed back down the stairs. "Now you both get a break!"

"I'm not so sure this is a good idea," Adrien muttered in reply. As he reappeared back in the bakery and saw Lady Noire standing by the counter posing for a selfie with a fan, he knew his first impression was right--cats did NOT belong in the bakery. After several failed attempts at teaching his partner how to fold croissants, Adrien pushed his friend out of the back room exasperatedly and ordered her to restock the pastries underneath the counter. He heard his mother's yelp of surprise followed by Lady Noire's quick apology and winced, but he could finally accomplish his job in peace.

Then he heard Lady Noire gasp before she dashed back into Adrien's work space.

"I-I have patrol! Gottagothankyou!" And then she disappeared, her apron falling to the floor .

Adrien gaped after her before slapping his palm to his forehead. "I completely forgot!" Quickly, he ripped off his apron and found his mother.

"Mom, Nino, uh, just called," he blurted out, "I have to go! I'll be back as soon as I can!"

His mom glanced up from the register in exasperation before nodding. Adrien flashed her a guilty smile before shoving his way through the bakery and out the door.

"So much for getting my homework done," Adrien muttered as he ducked into a side alley. "Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

Lady Noire was munching happily on an eclair when Mr. Bug swung into their patrol meeting place, his eyes slightly wild.

"Sorry I'm late," Mr. Bug panted, running a hand through his silky blonde hair. "I got distracted."

"No worries." Lady Noire grinned behind her hand as she continued eating her dessert. "I'm purrfectly content to finish my treat."

"Your treat?" Mr. Bug straightened and stared at the pastry in his partner's hand. "Is that an eclair?"

"Mm-hm!" Lady Noire took another bite, the sweet cream dribbling over her bottom lip. "A civilian gave it to me when I was out earlier today." She licked her lips and sighed contentedly. "It was the perfect way to complete my little break today."

"Your break?" Mr. Bug's eyes narrowed. "You take a break as a superhero? Why not go take a breather as your civilian self?"

Lady Noire snorted, thinking about her life as Marinette. "I don't ever get a breather as a civilian. My schedule's way too tight, and I always have to do everything perfectly..." She broke off, realizing she was revealing too much of her other identity. She bit her lip before continuing. "Being a superhero is a chance for me to get away from all that and just help other people." She stuffed the last bit of her eclair in her mouth, her eyes brightening at the taste.

Mr. Bug grunted, folding his arms as his eyes became thoughtful. "But...there's so much pressure on our shoulders. We have to save Paris. We can't afford to mess up or not show up. How can this be a break?" He glanced out over the skyline, his gaze tense and worried. Lady Noire frowned, brushed off the crumbs on her gloves, and stepped closer to her partner.

"I think taking a break and recharging is about doing something you really enjoy, something you don't see as an expectation or a responsibility, just because you want to. It's for you." Lady Noire smiled kindly at her partner and put a hand on his shoulder. Mr. Bug met her gaze steadily.

"And that's what I feel about being a superhero, m'lord. I love helping others and soaring above the streets of Paris." She paused as she felt a blush creeping over her cheeks. "Not to mention the time I get to spend with you."

Mr. Bug's eyes crinkled as he smiled amusedly at Lady Noire. "When did you get so wise, kitty-cat?"

Lady Noire's blush intensified. "Your good luck must be rubbing off on me," she stammered, dropping her hand from off his shoulder. "You know black cats are bad luck."

"Not you," Mr. Bug said firmly. "You've brought Paris nothing but good luck, Lady Noire."

Lady Noire gaped at him, her brain trying to compute what was happening. Is he flirting with me? Then her confidence came rushing back and she leaned forward.

"Yeah? Well then, we'll see who wins if we race to the Eiffel Tower. I gotta use this good luck while I have it!" And with that, she grabbed her staff and leapt off the rooftop, laughing.

"Hey! No fair--Lady Noire, get back here!" She heard Mr. Bug cry in annoyance, but she ignored him, the wind whistling in her ears as she pushed off her staff to bound into the air.

* * *

**_Hope ya liked it! _**

**_I love reviews, share your thoughts if you feel so inclined! And ideas for mini plot lines! _**

**_On a side note, this whole thing about taking breaks for you is definitely a thing. If you feel overwhelmed or stressed with all this COVID-19 drama, take Lady Noire's advice and take some time for yourself to do things you enjoy. :) I promise it works._**

**_Cheers! _**


	7. A Basic Day in Chemistry Class

Mr. Bug grimaced as he dodged the blast from the newest akumatized villain.

"Just sit still, you pesky little bug!" The woman cried, brandishing a large yardstick in his direction.

"No thanks," Mr. Bug called out, latching his yo-to around a telephone pole and swinging to safety behind a large dumpster. He flicked open his yo-yo and tried once again to dial up his teammate. There was a beep, and Lady Noire's voice rang out cheekily.

"Sorry, Lady Noire's claws look to be a little full at the moment. Try again later, buggaboy."

"Noire, where are you?" Mr. Bug growled, peering out behind the dumpster briefly before diving back into cover.

* * *

_Half an hour earlier..._

* * *

Adrien cast a bewildered look in Nino's direction, his hands clasped around the beaker of water in front of him.

"Uh, little help, Nino?"

Nino chuckled. "Dude, this should be easy. Just mix the ammonia with the water and record what happens."

"But what will that do?" Adrien stared dubiously at the smaller flask of ammonia. "It won't blow up or anything, right?"

"Of course not." Marinette turned around and smiled brightly up at Adrien. "It's just a weak acid-base reaction. It should just release carbon dioxide."

Adrien felt his face heating up and his grip on the beaker tighten. "S-so I'll be completely safe?"

Marinette nodded. "Here, let me help." She reached out and clasped the ammonia beaker. Adrien shifted his hand to move the beaker under the flask Marinette held at the same time as she moved the ammonia closer. Her elbow brushed Adrien's and her hand slipped. Startled, Marinette released the small flask, and it shattered on the table in front of them. The ammonia splattered around them, and Adrien felt some splash onto the backs of his hands.

"Oh!" Marinette gasped and withdrew her hands. Adrien immediately set the water back on the table and jumped to his feet.

"What was that?" The teacher snapped. "Is everyone okay?"

Adrien opened his mouth to reply, but Marinette beat him to it.

"Sorry, Ms. Lavigne. I just dropped Adrien's ammonia."

"What were you doing with his ammonia?" Ms. Lavgine demanded, glaring down at Marinette.

"Adrien was confused, ma'am. I was just trying to help, but my hand slipped."

"Hmmph. Well, both of you go wash your hands. I don't want you to get burned." Ms. Lavigne sniffed and turned away.

Marinette smiled sheepishly and rose to her feet. "Sorry, that was my bad. I should've been more careful."

"No no, I-I'm sorry I surprised you." Adrien stumbled as he moved to exit the room behind Marinette. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, I think." Marinette held out her hands and turned them over. "I don't think any of it spilled on me."

"That's a relief." Adrien looked down at his own hands and winced. They were starting to turn red, and Adrien felt a light tingling on the backs of his palms.

"Adrien! Did it get you?" Marinette grabbed his wrists and looked at his hands incredulously. "You need to go wash this off!"

"Oh, I-I'll be fine!" Adrien protested, but Marinette ran her fingertips lightly across his palms.

"Go to the bathroom and wash this off," Marinette instructed. Then she smiled. "I'll wait here."

"O-okay." Adrien backed away and ran towards the boy's bathroom.

"She's so sweet!" Tikki poked her head of his Adrien's shirt pocket. "Look at how concerned she is for you."

"She does that for everyone, Tikki." Adrien sighed and pushed open the door. Suddenly, a loud scream rang out from behind him, and Adrien whipped back around.

"That was Marinette!" He clenched his fists. "Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

Marinette was panting. Ms. Discipline had immediately cornered her, accusing her as ringleader of the troublemakers that had caused her akumatization. It was only thanks to Mr. Bug's arrival that she was able to escape and sprint back into the school. She darted behind the entryway wall and clutched at her chest, breathing heavily.

"Marinette!" A voice called, and Marinette started. Nino ran closer and gripped her shoulders. "You're okay! Man, I thought you were toast when Ms. Discipline found you!"

"No, I'm fine." Marinette put a hand on Nino's arm wearily. "Mr. Bug came just in time."

Nino's face lit up. "Mr. Bug's out there! Dude, I gotta catch this!" Nino shouldered past Marinette and bounded outside.

"Nino!" Marinette yelled, whipping around and chasing after her friend. "Stop! It's not-"

Her words broke off as something whipped around her abdomen and yanked her off her feet. Her arms flying, Marinette screamed as the ground flew far beneath her and the cord around her waist tightened.

"Wh-what-" Marinette choked out, trying in vain to get a deep breath. Her gaze darted down to her waist, and she saw what looked like honor cords wrapped unyieldingly around her middle.

"You thought you could hide from Ms. Discipline, did you?" A woman's voice sneered, and Marinette yelped as the cords yanked her further through the air.

"I promise, Miss!" Marinette cried, holding tightly to the rope as if it was her lifeline-which it was. "You've got the wrong girl! I've been in chemistry with Ms. Lavigne!"

"I think not," Ms. Discipline's voice rang out. "All you models are the same! You deserve special treatment!" Marinette twisted in her bindings, trying to see her captor. Ms. Discipline was standing on a large desk positioned just outside the front doors of the school. She wore long, flowing graduation robes, and Marinette spotted the cords that bound her wrapped around the villain's left shoulder.

"Marinette!" Nino yelled from the ground. "Watch out!"

"Watch out?" Marinette repeated in confusion. "For-"

Suddenly, there was a familiar zipping sound, and the cords that ran from Ms. Discipline's shoulder fell apart as if sliced. Marinette cried out as she felt herself freefalling through the air, her stomach jumping up to her throat.

"Plagg!" She breathed. "Claws-"

"No!" Plagg yelped, "Kid, there's too many people!"

"But-" Marinette broke off as red clouded her vision, and she yelped again as her body thumped into something soft. Something gripped her around the waist, and Marinette glanced up.

Mr. Bug smiled warmly, his arm tightening. "Are you okay, Marinette?"

Marinette gaped up at him, her cheeks flushing. "Mr. Bug! Wh-what are you...did you just...save me?" Her arms slipped up around his neck.

"Well, I couldn't let Ms. Discipline rope you in like that, could I?" Mr. Bug winced. "Sorry, that's something Lady Noire would say. I guess her absence is affecting me." He shifted his position and flung his yo-yo out once more, latching onto something else. "Are you all right?"

"F-fine." Marinette clung to Mr. Bug and buried her face in his chest. "T-thanks for saving me."

"Of course," Mr. Bug said soothingly. He landed gracefully on a rooftop and set Marinette gently back on her feet.

Marinette exhaled and withdrew her hands from around Mr. Bug's neck. "I-I should go hide. For some reason, Ms. Discipline has it out for me."

"Good idea." Mr. Bug scanned the skyline. "I would take you home, but I'm sure once I start moving again, Ms. Discipline would attack me." He exhaled briskly. "Man, I wish Lady Noire was here."  
Marinette felt a flash of guilt. "Sorry," she blurted without thinking.

Mr. Bug flashed her a quick smile and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Marinette. I'm sure she's on her way, don't worry."

Marinette made a face and looked up into Mr. Bug's bright green eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped at the expression on Mr. Bug's face. His eyes were warm, and his lips were just slightly upturned in a small smile. His face radiated hope and warmth, and it dawned on Marinette that it was all directed at her.

_He really cares, _Marinette realized with a start. _I-I can see it in his face. _

The feelings emanating from her partner were so foreign to Marinette that she couldn't tear her eyes away from the Ladybug superhero. Did people care so much about her like this all the time?

Suddenly Mr. Bug's eyes widened and he shouted in alarm. Quickly, he dove at Marinette, drove his shoulder into her ribs, and wrapped an arm tightly around her middle. Marinette exhaled sharply as all the air was shoved out of her lungs, and she croaked senselessly as Mr. Bug yanked her off the side of the roof.

Marinette opened her mouth to scream as she felt herself freefalling through the air for the second time that day, but all she managed was a raspy cough as her lungs frantically tried to fill back up. She gripped Mr. Bug's shoulders tighter instead.

"Sorry, sorry!" Mr. Bug apologized, adjusting his grip on her waist and flinging out his yo-yo. Marinette winced as the line went taut and pulled them back up. "I hope that doesn't leave any bruises. I had to move fast if you were to avoid Ms. Discipline."

"You-you're fine," Marinette said weakly, finally regaining her voice.

Mr. Bug dropped back into the school and relaxed his grip on Marinette. "You'll be safe here, Marinette. Don't move."

"Mr. Bug!" Alya was sprinting closer, her phone gripped tightly in her hand. "D'you mind if I ask you-"

"Aaaand that's my cue!" Mr. Bug backed away and saluted. "Bug out!"

Marinette took a deep breath as her partner swung back into action. Alya rushed closer and slipped an arm about Marinette's shoulders.

"Marinette! Girl, are you okay?"

"I-I need to rest." Marinette pointed feebly toward an empty classroom. "I'm going to hide, Alya. Don't let anyone in."

"O-of course!"

* * *

Mr. Bug snarled in annoyance as his yo-yo bounced uselessly off a leg of Ms. Discipline's desk. "Coward! You think you can attack Paris and then sulk in your desk just because your nasty students got away?"  
"I'll just have to report them to the Principle. There's only so much I can do, see." Ms. Discipline cackled, and a bolt of light shot out from the desk towards Mr. Bug. He easily jumped to one side. "I'll just have to settle for taking your miraculous for Hawkmoth."

"Well," Mr. Bug huffed and took another battle stance. "I've always gotten straight As, so you can't do a thing to me."

There was a loud clang, and Ms. Discipline's desk rattled as a figure dressed in black landed on top.

"I think you deserve some detention, Ms. Discipline!" Lady Noire raised a gloved hand. "Cataclysm!"

"Lady Noire!" Mr. Bug cheered, his spirit's lifting as his partner placed her palm on the surface of the large desk.

"No!" Ms. Discipline wailed as her desk crackled away into black dust. Lady Noire beamed as she bounded off the crumbling structure and landed next to her partner.

"Noire, where have you been?" Mr. Bug demanded, swinging his yo-yo back onto his waist. "I needed your help."

"Apologies, m'lord," Lady Noire grunted, pressing a hand to her ribs. "I got into a bit of a catfight."

"You stupid cat!" Ms. Dicscipline yelled, picking up a single piece of chalk from the growing and pointing it threateningly at Lady Noire. "Give me your miraculous! Then maybe I won't hurt you."

"Tempting!" Lady Noire called, making a face.

"Are you okay, Noire?" Mr. Bug asked, alarmed.

"Fine. Are you going to take down this teacher or what?" Lady Noire looked sideways at her partner.

"No need to get snappy." Mr. Bug held up his hands in surrender. Then he thrust his yo-yo up into the air. "Lucky charm!"

A piece of fruit fell into Mr. Bug's palm, and he stared at it incredulously. "Fruit?"

"That, m'lord, isn't just any fruit." Lady Noire leaned closer and sniffed at Mr. Bug's lucky charm. "That is a Persian lime, straight from Brazil. I can smell it from here. That thing is awfully potent." Her lips twitched. "You might even say...it's pretty sublime."

"Lady Noire!" Mr. Bug rolled his eyes. "Must you?"

"Why yes, I believe I must." Lady Noire laughed a tinkling laugh. "This can't be completely fruitless, can it?"

"Enough!" Mr. Bug sighed then looked back over to Ms. Discipline. Then his face lit up. "I've got it! Slice this open and squeeze it-"

"Over the chalk!" Lady Noire grinned. "You're a genius, buggaboy! Guess you pay attention in chemistry class."

"I try my best," Mr. Bug said breezily. Then he shoved the lime into his partner's hand. "Get going, kitty!"

"With pleasure." Lady Noire gripped the piece of fruit and unlatched her staff. "Hey teacher!" Lady Noire called, extending her staff and vaulting closer to the villain. "Can I go the bathroom? Or is it may I? Will I?"  
Mr. Bug chuckled at Ms. Discipline's shriek as frustration as she watched Lady Noire dart closer before taking a claw and slicing right through the lime's peel. Ms. Discipline snarled and flung another yardstick at her enemy, but Lady Noire ducked under it and leapt right above the villain's head. Quickly, she extended her staff and perched just above Ms. Discipline. Mr. Bug unhooked his yo-yo and flung it out towards the akumatized teacher, angling his weapon so that it would catch the villain and bind her to Lady Noire staff. Lady Noire winked and squeezed the lime right over the piece of chalk clenched in Ms. Discipline's fist.

"No! My powers!" Ms. Discipline cried, but it was too late. The chalk started to steam, and an inky black butterfly rose out from the smoke. Quickly, Mr. Bug swung his yo-yo and caught the akuma easily.

"Bye bye, little butterfly," he said softly as he released the small bug. Lady Noire slumped forward and clutched at her abdomen.

"Pound it?" She wheezed, holding up a hand.

"Pound it!" Mr. Bug exclaimed, bumping her fist with his own. "You gonna be okay, Noire?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Lady Noire winced as she took another deep breath. Her earrings beeped noisily, and she fingered them slightly. "But I should go. See ya next time, buggaboy!"

"Stop calling me-" Mr. Bug broke off as Lady Noire bounded up onto the rooftops.

Mr. Bug sighed, ran a hand tiredly through his hair, and flung his yo-yo out into Paris, letting the string pull him out of sight.

Marinette winced as she walked back into the busy streets of Paris. Her ribs were still throbbing painfully, and it still hurt to take a deep breath.

"Relax kid," Plagg hissed from her purse. "You'll be fine soon enough."

Marinette pursed her lips and started walking in what she hoped was the way back to her school. "Sh, Plagg, someone will hear you."

"That wasn't an issue earlier," Plagg retorted, although his voice was quieter than before. "You were all ready to show your identity to everyone, including Mr. Bug."

"I panicked, okay? I'm not good with heights when I'm out of costume." Marinette sighed and squinted at the signs around her. "Do you know where we are?"

"Across town." Plagg sniffed. "There's a cheese place not too far away. Let's go there first."

"I've got to get back to school, Plagg," Marinette disagreed, slipping her phone out of her pocket. She unlocked it and pulled up a map. "Maybe I can..."

"Marinette!" A familiar zipping sound tore Marinette's gaze upwards, and Mr. Bug landed gracefully in front of her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were back at the school!"

"Oh, well, I...uhh..." Marinette cleared her throat nervously and brushed back her bangs. "I-I needed some fresh air, so I-I took a walk."

Mr. Bug scowled at Marinette and folded his arms crossly. "Even when you knew an akuma was out?"

"I went in the opposite direction." Marinette lied, smiling guiltily up at the superhero in front of her.

Mr. Bug sighed. "Well, can I give you a lift? I'm headed back by that school anyway."

"Oh!" Marinette's cheeks colored and she clasped her hands behind her back. "Uhhh, if that's not too much trouble."

"Not at all!" Mr. Bug said eagerly and bounded closer. "Just hold on tight!"

Marinette repressed a squeal of delight as Mr. Bug scooped her back up into his arms. Then her stomach dropped as she felt Mr. Bug jump into the air. There was a slight jerk as his yo-yo took hold, and Marinette gripped Mr. Bug tighter. The wind whistled in her ears, and she bit her lip to hold back a scream. She buried her face in his neck and squeezed her eyes shut. Mr. Bug chuckled.

"Don't worry," he said softly and squeezed her gently. "I've got you."

* * *

_**I apologize for like never updating! I'm working on a couple other stories (that'll come up eventually), so I apologize for leaving this one for a bit. **_

_**Any requests? Comments? Feedback? Any thoughts would be appreciated!**_

_**Cheers-**_


End file.
